Chinese defence scientists seek to turn old rocket artillery into plane-killing glider
Technological upgrades to make rocket artillery capable of striking aerial targets may rewrite the rules of warfare
The Chinese military marked the world’s first recorded use of rockets in combat nearly eight centuries ago, when they deployed fire arrows and possibly gunpowder-launched grenades against Mongol invaders in the Battle of Kaifung-fu in 1232, according to Nasa.
Today, Chinese scientists and engineers are pursuing technological upgrades to transform the affordable, mass-producible traditional rocket artillery into a system capable of striking aerial targets.
A research team led by professor Zhang Shifeng at the National University of Defence Technology’s College of Aerospace Science and Engineering has developed a small rocket named Tianxing-1 or “Sky Star-1”.
Unlike conventional rocket artillery, this guided munition features lift-enhancing wings and adjustable tail fins for extended range and powerless-flight manoeuvrability.
Launched at an angle from ground-based platforms, the rocket rises to a designated altitude before transitioning into a glide phase, where it autonomously adjusts its trajectory to engage targets.
The Tianxing-1 operates on principles similar to hypersonic glide missiles, but travels at a far slower pace. Its maximum speed of 200 metres (656 feet) per second, or just over half the speed of sound, may see it struggle to chase high-speed aircraft or drones.
But it can lie in wait for the enemy – in large numbers if necessary – with its low cost and high-precision manoeuvrability offering extra advantages.
Zhang’s team has developed a novel guidance algorithm, slashing targeting errors from 50 metres to under one metre while enabling multi-angle attack profiles.
Some military experts say that mass deployment of such rockets could significantly boost the Chinese military’s area denial capabilities.
Published in the April issue of the Journal of National University of Defence Technology, the study highlights the challenges of guiding unpowered, low-speed gliders to hit “targets in the air”.
These munitions must rely on natural lift for extended flight and sharp manoeuvres in dynamic environments. Traditional algorithms have been proved inadequate, while AI-driven solutions – though precise – require costly computational hardware.
Zhang’s team overcame this by refining classical guidance equations with six new empirical parameters, achieving precision through streamlined calculations validated via hardware-in-the-loop simulations.
However, the technology cannot be used immediately for weapon development.
The published algorithm, for instance, was limited to striking stationary aerial targets. And the performance metrics of the Tianxing-1, initially designed as a training tool, differ vastly from operational weapons.
However, a successor – Tianxing-2 – has completed successful tests at a military base in northwestern China, according to an article on the defence university website dated August 9, 2022.
An upgraded integrated navigation system and other innovations have been able to “drastically reduce targeting trajectory deviations”, according to the article, which did not reveal the nature of the weapon.